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National Family Caregiver Support Program (NFCSP)
The National Family Caregiver Support Program was established as a result of the increased awareness of the contribution and the commitment of family caregivers and other non-relative caregivers. It recognizes the individuality of caregivers, the diversity of their caregiving situations and the range of their needs. The program is designed to provide unpaid caregivers with the assistance they need, when they need it, so they may continue in their caregiving roles.
The National Family Caregiver Support Program is supported by Older Americans Act Title III E funding and administered by the Vermont Department of Disabilities, Aging and Independent Living and local Area Agencies on Aging.
Services Include
- Information for caregivers about available services.
- Assistance for caregivers in gaining access to services and resources available within their community.
- Individual counseling, support groups and training to help caregivers gain knowledge, make decisions and solve problems relating to their caregiving roles.
- Respite Care
to temporarily relieve caregivers from their caregiving responsibilities. Funds can be used
to pay for services such as Adult Day, in-home caregiving, overnight and weekend respite.
- Supplemental services, on a limited basis, to complement care provided by caregivers. Examples of supplemental services are legal assistance, financial consultation and home safety interventions.
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Eligibility
Family Caregivers and Non-Relative Caregivers of Older Adults
- Respite and supplemental services are limited to care recipients aged 60 or older who are unable to perform two or more activities of daily living (ie., bathing, dressing, mobility etc.) without assistance, or who have a cognitive impairment and require supervision.
- Priority is given to older individuals with the greatest social or economic need.
- There is no minimum age requirement for the informal caregiver.
Family Caregivers of Children Age 18 or Younger
- Family caregivers are age 60 or older and are a grandparent, step-grandparent or other older caregiver related to the child by blood or marriage.
- The family caregiver resides with, and is the primary caregiver of a child because the biological or adoptive parents are unable or unwilling to serve as the primary caregiver.
- The family caregiver has a legal relationship to the child or is raising the child informally.
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Applying for Services
For more information about the National Family Caregivers Support Program services available in your area, please call the local Area Agency on Aging.
The table below lists the Area Agencies on Aging phone numbers. For additional contact information for any of the agencies listed click on the Agency name.
Area Agencies on Aging Contact Information
| Agency Name | Contact Phone Number |
|---|---|
| Central Vermont Council on Aging | (802) 479-0531 |
| Champlain Valley Agency on Aging | (802) 865-0360 |
| Council on Aging of Southeastern Vermont | (802) 885-2655 |
| Northeast Kingdom Council on Aging | (802) 748-5182 |
| Southwestern Vermont Council on Aging | (802) 786-5991 |
If you do not know which of these agencies provides services in your area, call the Senior Helpline at 1-800-642-5119 for assistance.
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Providers of Services
Services are coordinated through Vermont’s Area Agencies on Aging. Service providers vary depending on the needs of the family caregiver.
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Program Contacts
Maria Mireault, Program Director
Division of Disability and Aging Services
103 South Main Street
Weeks Building
Waterbury, VT 05671-1601
Phone: (802) 241-3738
E-mail: maria.mireault@ahs.state.vt.us
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Publications
Contact your local Area Agencies on Aging to request brochures about issues related to family caregiving.
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Forms
- Contact your local Area Agencies on Aging for all essential forms.
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Legislation, Statutes and Regulations
The following legislation, statutes and regulations are related to National Family Caregiver Support Program.
The National Family Caregiver Support Program (NFCSP) was enacted as part of the Reauthorization of the Older Americans Act to help hundreds of thousands of family members who are struggling to care for their older loved ones who are ill or who have disabilities. (The Older Americans Act was originally signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson on July 14, 1965 (PDF). In addition to creating the Administration on Aging, it authorized grants to States for community planning and services programs, as well as for research, demonstration and training projects in the field of aging. Later amendments to the Act added grants to Area Agencies on Aging for local needs identification, planning, and funding of services, including but not limited to nutrition programs in the community as well as for those who are homebound. The Older Americans Act Amendments of 2000 was signed into law on November 13, 2000.)
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Other Resources
- Administration on Aging: http://www.aoa.dhhs.gov
- Alzheimer’s Association Vermont/New Hampshire Chapter
Website: www.alzvtnh.org
Phone: 1-800-272-3900 [Toll Free]
- Caregiver Resources: Caregiver Support Groups in Vermont
This link will take you to the Caregiver Resources web page of the Central Vermont Council on Aging (CVCOA). On this page you will find the link to the "Caregiver Support Groups in Vermont", along with other helpful resources. This is a calendar listing of all Caregiver Support Groups statewide.
- Family Caregiver Alliance: www.caregiver.org
- National Family Caregiver Support Program: http://www.aoa.gov/prof/aoaprog/caregiver/caregiver.asp
- National Alzheimer’s Association: www.alz.org
